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Grin and bare it!

As you know, my sister is here. What you may not know is that she is totally bonkers! (Well, it does run in the family…) When I asked her for an interview, she agreed to reveal a little known secret. So here it is: an exclusive interview. Never seen before (well, not on this blog, anyway).

You see, she is a member of a society. A bare society. One that encourages nudity. Of the feet. “Did you know that we are born with our own shoes? They’re water-proof and free with leathery soles!” That’s how my sister describes the joys of living barefoot. All the time. So keen is she that she is now a member of the Society for Barefoot Living.

So, how did it all start? Well, her husband started running without shoes on in order to cure his Achilles heel problems. This was last September. One sunny day, my sister wondered what it would feel like to walk on the streets and woods without her shoes on. She never looked back.

She loved the feel of crunchy twigs, springy moss, hot pavements, cool shop interiors, smooth floors, rain and cold snow under her feet. These days she drives barefoot, shops without her shoes on and walks barefoot as much as possible – or as much as her courage allows.

I wondered what the benefits are. “It’s healthy and a good way to exercise your feet. It takes ten years off your life.” When she first started barefooting (that’s a technical term), she wondered why her feet were bright pink. “Er… that’s your circulation,” her husband explained. Apparently, she hasn’t had circulation before, poor thing.

“My feet are tingly all over. It’s fun. You can feel everything!” And – here’s the clincher (well, apart from the looking younger bit. Barefooting is, at least, cheaper than Botox.) “I feel like a child again!”

And – if you think about it – most of us went barefoot as kids. I know we did – and the anklebiters refuse shoes and socks as soon as the weather allows. (I’ll let you into a little secret: I never ever wear shoes indoors.)

Do you remember the feel of sand between your toes, mud oozing over your feet or the freshly-scented feel of grass? Liberating. Carefree. The feel of childhood.

Not that I’ll be trying the snow thing any time soon. But I totally agree with her. Nothing feels better than going barefoot. The first thing that I take off when I come home from work is my shoes…(bra second) I have never in my life worn shoes in the house. I can’t even fathom why anyone would. And as soon as the snow melt…that’s it for me…no more shoes whenever possible. My hubby thinks I’m crazy because I never wear them outside..and when I’m gardening and step on something sharp…he’s always saying “well if you’d put some shoes on that wouldn’t happen” But how can you garden with shoes on??? If I could I’d never wear shoes again…but I’d lose my job so I guess I’ll still have to buy a pair now and then!

Barefoot in snow?! 😮
Tell your sister to be careful if she ever goes to Härnösand. Never seen so much crushed glass & big shards on the streets in any other town.

About the notebooks: no, they’re not like exercise books, they’re more like couch potato books. They sit in front of the computer all day eating chocolate. Actually – they’re similar to the spiral bound books in size but I’m thinking of making larger ones, maybe A5. Keep an eye out 🙂

Well, as I sit here barefooted, my usual state of being whenever I’m in the house, I think back to my childhood of going everywhere barefooted. I don’t let my children do that. I’m not sure why except for risk of injury and disgusting things they might come into contact with. They can do it in our yard or up and down the street. Just not the city over.

Interesting about the Achilles Heel injury. I have Plantar Fascitis (inflamation of the supporting muscle in the arch of the foot) from irreversible nerve damage in my legs and feet. I am told to wear arch inserts and running shoes at all times. (Yes, even SITTING here.) I don’t because I am bohemian at heart. Any thoughts from her on healing that issue through barefooting it? I’d love to know.

I’m afraid I can’t participate in the barefoot experiment. I’m such a germaphobe, I hate the idea of my bare feet touching where other people’s bare feet have been prior. I can’t wait to check out your link to the Society for Barefoot Living. I’m learning something new – fascinating!

Agree with whoever mentioned it earlier- we’re born naked…doesn’t mean that’s how we should be walking around the rest of our lives…although I do ADORE the feel of grass under my feet in the summer…and sand at the beach…I missed that your sis is in town, lucky girl- wish my sister could visit…enjoy her visit!!!!

Robynn’s Ravings: yes, do check out the SBL website. They have articles on health for your feet if barefooting, and there are plenty of members who barefoot precisely because they have suffered from plantar fasciitis. It is meant to help.
It has helped my athlete’s foot and varicose veins, eg good foot circulation at the moment! http://www.barefooters.org/

Okay, I have claustrophobic feet (self diagnozed) which means I rarely wear socks. I dont like socks. I kind of despise socks. I dont even like them during winter time. And IF I do wear socks thats the first thing (after my shoes) that I take off after being outside. But barefooting????

I do remember sand between my toes etc etc because that’s how I walk around on vacations and during the summer…but in the city? I remember being a kid and stepping in fresh doog poo on the pavement. Not something I’d like to repeat…

We always ran around barefoot when I was a kid – I remember how tough our feet were by the end of the summer. It was great (except for when I stepped on bees.) I have a friend with MS who prefers to go barefoot, because she can feel everything so much better.

She looks great to me! I love going barefoot also..as a child I never wore shoes in the summer. Think of all the money and decisions she saves by not being a shoe whore! Lady Fi, If you gave up your shoes ..you could buy more earrings! 🙂

Please visit the SBL website. We’re not loons….in all honesty, we’re probably the sanest group on the planet. Ok, ever since we let Alison in we can’t say that anymore, but for the most part we’re not crazy.
Yes, your feet will feel better, but so will your back, your mind, well, every part of you will be invigorated. Trust me. I’ve been doing this for over 20 years and it’s a lot more sanitary than keeping your feet in those foot coffins most of you wear.
Good job …pretty good for a newbie!
Robert

guess what? the snow cleanses all dirt and grime off the feet. Doormats also clean off feet after muddy walks. And finally, a good old scrubbing brush or brillo pad, soap and water (in the bath) does wonders!

Barefoot Yank, you sure are a crazy looking, pointy toothed little … dinosaur. I can’t possibly be crazy, my sister takes that credit. But yes, I am doing well for a newbie barefooter. Look bloggers, I’ve only been doing it for six months. Coming along just nicely. All you wannabee barefooters, think about doing more of it this summer, you will just LOVE it.

We don’t get as much snow and ice here in the Netherlands as y’all up in Sweden, but I was able to walk on the ice a bit this winter. It’s great to be barefoot all year long; as long as you keep your core temperature up (I dress up warmly from the ankle up) it’s amazing how well the feet will stay warm even in the snow. And people, don’t be put off by the visible dirt, most of what you see on ‘dirty’ bare feet really isn’t harmful. There are *lots* of bacteria on surfaces that are touched by many people; door knobs, railings, handles of shopping carts, etc… and with our hands we transfer those germs to our face and/or food (even if you wash up before dinner, who never eats a cookie or snack without washing). Our skin itself, on the other hand, is made to keep pathogens out, so any dirt on the feet just sits at ground level without doing any harm. Also the inside of shoes is one of the worst places bacteriologically! Research has shown that a sharp injury sustained through a thin shoe sole is extremely likely to get infected while injuries sustained barefoot rarely are. So much for judging ‘dirt’ by visual signs. 😉 As for my personal ‘mileage’; I used to get colds from early fall until late spring, but in the 13 years of going barefoot I’ve called in sick once -for two days. Try it! 🙂

Little man has always insisted on going barefoot – its a real battle to put shoes on him when necessary and after living in Belgium for five years, we all got very used to going barefoot – any house we visited insisted on shoes off at the door, so we’ve tried to instil that on our Irish relations since we came home but its not been easy! Little man was bouncing in the rain all afternoon barefoot on the trampoline in the garden with Clive – nothing like it!

Wow your sis looked like you. She is brave to walk bare footed in the snow. I am bare footed in my house. It is our culture not to wear shoes in anyone house over here. It would be seem so rude. Have a nice weekend.

i have always hated shoes. one summer i worked in a state park, icky heavy boots. i had to wash the trash can lids (whatEVER), among other things, and did that barefoot. i think i offended one of the junior rangers because he told me ‘in the real world’ one didn’t take their shoes off at work. well, the joke’s on him because my first ‘real world’ job was teaching english in a junior high school–in japan. i took my shoes off every morning! (ok, granted, i wore slippers, but still, what a jerk he was! LOL)

i don’t wear shoes in the house, and i can hardly wait for warmer weather…

Great post. The only time I walked barefoot was in Belize, when we lived on the island, but you’ll never guess what happened. I got such a pain in my heel, there’s a name for it, that the Doctor told me to wear a small heel. I swear it got so bad, I’d wake up in the middle of the night with heel pain.
On another subject, I wanted to ask you if you know much about guest blogging? I have a literary PR guy from San Diego, who’s agreed to guest blog. Do I ask him to email me the post and then copy and paste it in my blog? What about comments? Does he answer them by clicking on the comments on my blog? Thanks.

Makes me want to interview my sister to discover her deepest secrets …
I was a journalist in another life and I think back now about how many personal questions I asked of people in the course of my reporting.
June in Oz

I grew up on a farm and never wore shoes. My mother’s most vivid memory of my first day of kindergarten are of the copious tears I shed when she forced me into a pair of shoes and explained that I would have to keep them on ALL DAY. Wah!!

I also have plantar fascitis – which came about from never wearing shoes as I was working at home. Now I have no choice but to wear them. Those with plantar fascitis MUST wear supportive shoes or it will only get worse – much worse 😦

It has to be said I was not standing on the lake for very long. Five or ten minutes maximum. When the snow covers over the tops of the feet, they get cold very quickly. Others who have been doing it for years have no problem. A lot of people can hike half hour in the snow (but not me).
Look up research on plantar fasciitis. There is medical evidence to go barefoot for it, Patti, as well as evidence to wear support.

Thanks for telling me the name, I’d forgotten, plantar fascitis. My Belizean Doctor told me to wear sandals with heels too, or it would get worse. It only helped after I came back to the US and wore shoes again. Weird, isn’t it?

I never knew going barefoot could have such great health benefits! I’ve lived in really hot places, and I can remember burning my bare feet when I was young growing up in Arizona. YEOWCH! I do go barefoot in the house – does that count?